One of the not so favorite topics in the Christian church is tithing. No one wants to talk about money. Go figure! It is something that is hard for us, but quite simple as far as God is concerned. Want to know more?

Before we get started with our “girl talk” I want to say that toes will get stepped on. I’ll probably step on my own toes, if truth be told. But, that’s what learning and loving God is all about.

He doesn’t sugar-coat anything and neither should those who call themselves “His Anointed.” That includes you if you profess His name. For those who are on the fence, let me tell you: There is nothing like living in the light of the Son of God. Even not so perfect days are better than one day living outside of His care.

So, let’s get back to the topic of money. The book of Malachi talks about tithing. It is the duty of giving back to God ten percent of all that you have earned. In the Old Testament, many people didn’t have money. If they raised animals, they sacrificed the best tenth of all they had altars to God. Those with money gave a tenth of that.

Verse ten talks about collecting the tithe in God’s house so that His house will be a place of resources for those in need. We give tithes in church so that the church can outreach into the community. That is by God’s design not by man. 

God also promises to show us a great abundance in our lives WHEN we tithe. It’s right there in black and white. But, how many of you know that our part is easier said than done? It never fails that the devil is somewhere in the details.

Here is a case in point. You just got paid. It always seems that the money goes before it has time to warm you hands, and this month is no different. You have a table full of bills to pay. So, when you sit in church and the minister passes the offering plate, you have a tough time justifying paying your tithes when your light bill is coming due.

This is the “crossroads moment.” It happens to all of us. It has happened to me. What do you do? The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver. If you aren’t going to give in the right spirit you might as well not give at all, but, also know that you won’t reap the promise God has made if you don’t make the commitment.

This is just one of the moments where the rubber meets the road. God never said that living for Him would be easy, but it will always be worth the sacrifice. Hmmm…sacrifice? There’s that word again. We sacrifice at work, for the sake of our families and for others. What more can we sacrifice?

There is one important thing to note here that separates us as professors of Christ from those who just pay Him lip service: We LOVE Him. When you love someone, sacrifice is a challenge that you will gladly encounter time and time again.

So, when that offering plate comes around, you write that check or place those dollar bills in the envelope. Your love for God lets you know that He will faithfully help you take care of that light bill because you have demonstrated your faith in Him. And, tithing your money leads you to tithe other things in your life: your time, your talent and your resources.

This is called living in the “top ten percent.” You give your best to God and He will definitely give His best to you – inside and out. We have some concept of the outside benefits, things we can see. On the inside, changes are also taking place.

When you can overcome your carnal nature and follow God’s leading, like paying your tithes, something on the inside begins to move and stir. Your human nature is being jostled about and shaken up in a big way. God is making His home inside of you.

When you accepted God as your savior, you gave Him the key to the door of your heart. But, usually, the door is as far as He can get until a little house cleaning is done. One step at a time, one day at a time, one sinful habit at a time, He moves the junk out and His stuff in.

What’s “His stuff”? It’s things like love, peace, joy, longsuffering, compassion, moderation, kindness, meekness and gentleness. All of these things take time to move in but as long as you are willing to help you will see a transformation in your heart.

But, the benefits are not just external and internal; they are also eternal. As a faithful follower of God, you are His “treasure.” When the day comes for Him to gather the treasures unto Himself, you will be included in that number. You have carte blanche because of the treasure He has placed within you (II Corinthians 4:7). The work that you do in obedience to Christ speaks for you in heaven.

But, there is just one more morsel to chew on here. Tithing is a mandate of God, meaning that He asks us to do it, much like baptism (a subject for another lesson). The reward is in obedience. Tithing can’t secure a place in heaven for you but because you love and worship God, you do what He asks.

Your life will change for the better and that’s a promise. Do you want to live in the top ten percent? If you do, then give and not just of your money. That’s a good start though. The rewards are out of this world! Bon Appétit!

Garnet Miller
		About the author:
		Garnet Miller is a part-time freelance writer. She has been published in three FaithWriters anthologies, Associated Content, a coffee table book entitled “Letters to My Mother” and a soon to be released anthology entitled, “Delivered” as well as a Christian newspaper. She is managing editor and writes two columns for Extreme Women magazine. Her main focus is ghostwriting. She is a married mother of two teenage boys living in North Carolina.